In The Land Of The Living
by a-citizen-of-asgard
Summary: Loki/OC Fanfic. Loki drops in on an old friend after his banishment to Earth. But how will she cope with his sudden arrival, and will events of the past affect their future?
1. Chapter 1

Loki Fanfic

Prologue

I gasped as I noticed the figure stood in the shadows of my room. The mug of coffee began to slip from my hands, but before it hit the floor, the tall silhouette had caught it, not a single drop spilt. He reached for the light switch, forcing the room from darkness as he flipped the switch.

I could see him properly now. Tall, lean but muscular. Ebony black hair swept back from his face and enchanting eyes that I could never determine as to whether they were green or blue. His skin was pale, and his attire was far from what I would have expected; a plain white t-shirt and jeans. My mouth opened and closed, I was unable to form a coherent sentence. I felt myself begin to fall, and the last thing I remembered was his devilish smile as I blacked out, his name at my lips.

Chapter 1

_Renn:_

"Oh, back in the land of the living are we?" he said as I regained consciousness. As the memories came flooding back to me, I stood and promptly fell over again. "Hang on," he laughed, "You hit your head badly."

"Loki?" I breathed, sitting with my back against the wall, trying to focus my eyes on his face. He smiled.

"The one and only."

As the room began to stop spinning, I asked,

"What are you doing here? After all these years? Why now?" His perfect forehead creased.

"Is that all that you're interested in Renn?" he asked, a subtle hint of hurt evident in his voice.

I laughed out loud. He looked at me curiously. "What else did you expect me to say?" I exclaimed, " 'Oh, hi Loki, I haven't seen or spoken to you since we were children on Asgard but oh you're here now in my room, let's pretend nothing happened!' Seriously!" I stood up, and this time, I was steady. He stood as well. He had changed very little since we were children. He was taller, more muscular, but apart from that he was the same, just older. Everything he had been as a child was still there.

**_Loki:_  
**

**She had changed. I could see nothing of the young girl I had been such close friends with. All that remained that I could distinguish her by was her eyes and hair. Her hair fell in soft auburn waves to her shoulder blades, and her eyes were the colour of slate. I could think of nothing to say to her. The visit had been an impulse, I had not planned it. Since being stripped of most of my powers and left here on Earth, I had not been up to much. But when I had seen her earlier that day, I had felt feelings I thought I would never feel stirring inside myself. **

"**I needed to speak to you, is that such an inconvenience?" I said slowly. Something seemed to unsettle her, but she motioned for me to sit, and then left the room. I was in half mind to follow her, but she returned almost instantly with a drink for me. She handed the cup of steaming liquid to me then took a seat on the bed next to me. **

"**What did you want to talk about?" she enquired, not looking at me.**

**I took a deep breath, and then began.**

"**When you left, my world was left empty. You meant everything to me. You were the only person who seemed to understand me, like me even. I mean, apart from Thor, but that's beside the point…" I trailed off.**

_Renn:_

"I missed you…" I whispered into the silence. From the corner of my eye, I saw his hand tense around the coffee cup. I looked up. He was staring at me intently with those beautiful eyes, holding my gaze.

"And I, you." He replied just as quietly. He put the mug down, turned to face me and took my hands in his. Our eyes never left each other's. "You look so different," he mused "I almost didn't recognise you." I smiled weakly.

"Well, that's what happens after a century of being stranded on Earth." I replied. "Loki…" I began, "Why are you here?"

He inhaled deeply before answering, "I was banished. I tried to take over Midgard and failed. Odin banished me to Earth and stripped me of my powers." He seemed reluctant to express his feelings like this. But I was troubled. The Loki I knew as a girl would never have done such a thing. I didn't press him any further though. I simply smiled and asked him;

"Wanna stay the night?"

"I would be most grateful. I haven't been able to find a residence of my own as of yet. Thank you Renn." he replied, his smile returning. I smiled back.

I laughed "It's okay. Erm, I'll get some sheets and you can take the couch."

**_Loki:_  
**

**As I lay there that night, all I could think of was how happy I had felt just to be in Renn's presence. Though I was doubtful that she thought the same, I couldn't help thinking that my feeling of friendship had flourished to be more than that over the last few hours. **

**Whilst Renn had been readying a bed for me, I had taken the opportunity to look around her apartment. It was clean, tidy but small. Bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. From what I could gather from the belongings scattered around, Renn was the only person living here.**

**As I lay there thinking, I heard sounds of distress coming from the bedroom. I sat bolt upright, immediately worried for Renn's safety. I got silently to my feet and walked over to the bedroom door which she had left slightly ajar. Through the gloom I saw Renn, head in her hands, muffled sounds of sobbing coming from her hunched figure. **

"**Renn?" I asked, my voice hushed, "Are you okay?"**

**She seemed startled at my presence, and at once tried to hide the fact that she was crying from me.**

"**How long have you been there?" she asked; her voice shaky.**

"**Are you okay?" I repeated, walking into the room and sitting next to her on the edge of the bed. She sniffed,**

"**I had a nightmare, that's all." She said, "I'm fine Loki, really, you can go."**

**I looked at her, eyebrows raised in disbelief. She looked up at me, her grey eyes sparkling like stars in the dim light and from the tears that were still in her eyes. Though she was obviously unhappy, I could not help but think how beautiful she was, innocent, vulnerable. In that short space of time, I made a silent vow to protect her and let nothing ever harm her. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to me.**

"**Okay," I whispered into her hair, "Okay." She embraced me in return before I got up to go back to my make-shift bed. Suddenly, she grabbed my arm. I turned.**

"**Don't go," she said, so quietly I could barely hear it, "Stay with me please…"**

**I smiled a little and slid under the duvet beside her. She curled up against my chest, the tears on her face dampening the thin material. I waited until I was sure she was sound asleep before I allowed myself to drift off into a dreamless sleep.**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thanks so much for the positive feedback on the last chapter. So here's the next instalment of Renn and Loki's story. When I write I tend to go too fast, so let me know if you hink I'm progressing to quickly! Don't forget to review, it helps so much! _**

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Chapter 2

_I was running, my bare feet pounding on the marble floor of the palace corridors. Why was I running? Where was I going? Oh, right, I was running from my father…_

_Suddenly, I slammed into someone._

"_There you are, thought you could get away?" he snarled. I was sobbing, my voice hoarse from running._

"_Please Papa, I can't, not anymore! Let me be!" my voice was a whisper; I knew I was done for. He just smiled viciously. I couldn't escape him, I would always be in this purgatory… I could only hope that Thor and Loki had received my messages, my goodbyes…_

_My father grabbed my arm, I yelped in pain. In the distance, I could hear the guards coming towards us. I was half-dragged, half-carried out of the palace all the while my father reiterating the horror that I would face as punishment for my betrayal. My sobbing had stopped, and the tears slid silently down my face. We were nearing the Bifrost now. _

_I felt something warm and wet on my hand. It was blood, that of my father. He collapsed in front of me, and as soon as his grip on my arm loosened, I ran, ran as fast as I could to the Gatekeeper._

"_You wish to go to Earth…" the voice of Heimdall resonated around me. I nodded. "You will never return to Asgard…" he began._

"_JUST SEND ME THERE!" I interrupted. Moments later, I could feel myself being pulled from Asgard, and too late I remembered why I couldn't leave. I saw him in my mind, and screamed his name as I was thrown into a new world…_

"_LOKIIIIIII!"_

_Renn:_

I woke the next morning feeling weary and my body ached. I sat up, yawning; kicking my legs a bit to untangle the bed sheets from around my ankles. I could hear the sound of the shower coming through the wall to my left, so instead of heading to the bathroom, I made my way groggily to the kitchen. 'What do you make an Asgardian god for his breakfast?' I thought, not really caring as I buttered myself some toast and went to sit at the table.

I heard the shower being shut off and the noises of someone moving around the bathroom. A few moments later, Loki came into the kitchen, wearing the same clothes he had done yesterday. His hair was still wet and swept back from his face, save a stray lock of hair that flopped to the left side of his forehead, causing water droplets to drip onto his face.

I motioned towards the cupboards on the far side of the kitchen. Quickly swallowing my breakfast, I said,

"Get yourself something to eat, how did you sleep?" I smiled at him, but he was looking at me with concern. Ignoring his gaze, I continued, "I'll take you into town later on, you're gonna need some clothes other than the ones you're wearing."

"Okay." He replied. He went to the sink to get himself a drink of water, but made no move to get any food. He sat at the table opposite me and after a few minutes under his intense stare, I excused myself and went to the bathroom to get ready.

_**Loki:**_

**Was this the same girl that was sobbing her heart out last night? The same girl who asked me to stay with her through the night? She had made no reference to the events of the last night, but she seemed uncomfortable under my gaze. **

**When she was ready to leave an hour later, I couldn't help but say, "You look beautiful" as she walked into the room, wearing skinny jeans, Converse and an old ACDC t-shirt. She blushed quite obviously, smiling with embarrassment. **

"**C'mon," she said, laughing nervously "let's get you some new clothes."**

**The walk from Renn's apartment to the mall was a short one, we were there in less than five minutes. She dragged me straight to a shop called 'Superdry', where we spent an hour and a half trying on and buying a whole new wardrobe for myself. Though I was more used to wearing metal armour and leather, it's safe to say I did not miss it. These loose fitting t-shirts and jeans were much better for everyday wear.**

**After we finished collecting clothes for me, we spent the rest of the day wandering aimlessly around the mall, Renn showing me things and how they worked, explaining aspects I could not understand. She was very patient, staying silent and just looking at me when I got frustrated and worked up, an eyebrow raised, just as she had done when we were children. **

**Eventually, the sky began to get dark and Renn told me we needed to go now. She seemed anxious to leave, so I followed her out of the mall and onto the street.**

_Renn:_

Outside the air was cold, and I immediately regretted not having a jacket with me. Within moments I was starting to shiver. Loki realised straight away, and proceeded to put his new jacket over my shoulders. I began to protest, but he carried on nonetheless, and I was soon silenced by the warmth I felt myself enveloped in. I smiled.

"You know, here on Earth it's taken as a romantic gesture for a guy to give a woman his coat?" I glanced up at Loki. He was smiling, his perfect teeth shining in the moonlight.

"Really?" he asked "What a strange idea…" he trailed off, becoming tense suddenly, his arm wrapping around me protectively. I began to get very scared very quickly.

"Loki?" I whispered "Loki, what's going on?" There was a look of urgency in his eyes when he looked at me.

"How far are we from your apartment?" he asked, his voice hushed. I frowned in confusion.

"About two minutes, why?"

His grip around me tightened. He bent his head towards me and whispered in my ear,

"There are two men over there who have been watching us for a while. They aren't human Renn; I fear that this is a hostile situation…"

My eyes widened in fear.

"H-how can we get away?" I mumbled, shivering not from cold, but from pure anxiety. He pulled away from me "Loki I'm scared, what do they want?" He didn't reply. We walked along for a bit, all the while with Loki's arm wrapped around me, protecting me, until suddenly, something deadly and silver flew into Loki's left leg.

He shouted out in pain, and collapsed to the floor, his hand at the sharp metal instrument embedded into his thigh. What happened next was a blur, I remember shouting for Loki and screaming his name, then everything just when black…

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**_So what do you think? Don't worry, all will be revealed, Loki and Renn's past, the mysterious stalkers, their future... just you wait ;) Remember, read and review! :D_**


	3. Chapter 3

_***Just to say, that in this chapter and from now on, more characters are going to be introduced. There will be characters from the Avengers. Also, I had to use a name for a frost giant, and I wanted it to be authentic, so chose an actual name for a frost giant in Norse mythology. Now, I don't know a lot about Norse mythology, so sorry if my choice offends you, but it has nothing to do with actual mythology, I just needed a name and chose one, Anyway, enough of that, enjoy this chapter!**_

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_****_Chapter 3

_**Loki:**_

**I woke with a start, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I was leant up against a wall, shrouded from the busy street by dustbins and parked cars. As I became more and more awake, the events of the past night came flooding back to me.**

"**Renn…!" I could only whisper her name; my voice was weak and croaky. Where was she? Had they taken her, they must have done! I looked around me in despair, trying to find something that would give me a clue as to what had happened. Then I remembered…**

"_**You know, here on Earth it's taken as a romantic gesture for a guy to give a woman his coat?" She laughed, glancing up at me. I smiled at her, amused by this new information.**_

"_**Really?" I asked "What a strange idea…" I trailed off, becoming tense suddenly, my arm wrapping instantly around Renn protectively. **_

"_**Loki?" she whispered "Loki, what's going on?" I didn't like the feeling I was getting, it was all too familiar…**_

"_**How far are we from your apartment?" I asked, my voice hushed. She frowned in confusion, screwing up her nose and narrowing her eyes. **_

"_**About two minutes, why?"**_

_**My grip around her tightened. That was two minutes too long, and seeing as I couldn't use my teleportation magic, we had no choice but to carry on. Seeing the desperate look in her eyes, I bent down and whispered in her ear.**_

"_**There are two men over there who have been watching us for a while. They aren't human Renn; I fear that this is a hostile situation…" **_

**I jolted back to the present. "Frost giants." I hissed, glancing around. When I was sure no-one had seen me, I took a moment to observe the wound that had been inflicted upon me the night before. I wiggled my jeans down a bit to expose the top of my thigh. Luckily, I healed much quicker than mortals did, and the wound was nought but a small red scar. I sighed, getting up.**

"**Brother? Be that you?" a gruff, familiar voice said from behind me.**

**Startled, I turned around.**

"**Th-Thor! What are you doing here?"**

_Renn:_

I was brought into consciousness by the sound of metal doors screeching past each other. Every bone in my body ached and I could feel bruises beginning to form. I looked around me. My hands were in shackles that were chained to the wall, as were my feet. There was a similar contraption around my neck, and I knew before I even tried that struggling against the bonds would only worsen their hold over me. I slumped against the wall.

"Oh, awake are we?" a low voice came from the door in front of me. I looked up, my eyes still adjusting to the darkness. When I realised where I was, I tugged at my shackles in fear. 'Jotunheim!' I thought in panic, 'I'm in Jotunheim!'

The frost giant laughed at my despair. He set down a tray of non-descript food before me, but I turned away in disgust. He took my face in his hand, forcing me to look at his scarred face. He smiled at me, his red eyes glowing maliciously.

"I'm Hrungnir. Do you remember me from last night? You were quite lethargic when I brought you in here."

I just glared at him.

"I suppose you want to know why you're here?" he asked, getting up and standing before me" he glanced down at me before continuing, pacing around my prison, "You may or may not know that your dear friend Loki is the biological son of King Laufey?" he paused, looking for my reaction. I gave none. He smirked, "And you may or may not know that Loki also killed Laufey in cold blood."

He was lying, he must have been! Loki was prince of Asgard, born and bred, raised as a son of Odin alongside Thor. This was all pretence! There was no way Loki could be related to Laufey!

Seeing my inner turmoil, Hrungnir laughed, continuing with his little story.

"Well, we happen to know that you and Loki have a past together, isn't that right? You were children on Asgard together were you not?"

I hung my head, avoiding his questions.

"You obviously did not realise just how much Loki cared for you. Your sudden departure to Midgard left him alone. Couple that with his anger at Odin for lying to him, and…well…" he chuckled "You saw what happened to your precious Earth did you not? So, in order to avenge the death of our king, we have taken you as hostage, as we know Loki will do all he can to save his special friend." He finished, pulling me to face him and leering.

I could feel anger boiling up inside of me, and I spat in Hrungnir's face, my eyes glittering furiously. Like Loki, I had a gift with magic, and unlike him, I was able to use it. However, my skills differed in that they could only be used if I was touching what I wanted to manipulate. However, my actions had caused Hrungnir to move away from me, so my magic was out of the question.

Glowering at me, I watched as his hand shifted, becoming a lethal sword of ice. He moved closer, stealthily, watching me as a predator watched his prey, and when he was close enough, he began to drag the sword across parts of my body, my legs, arms, face. I screamed, blood covering my body, and pretty soon, I was unconscious again.

_**Loki:**_

**I was sat with Thor in a Midgardian café after having cleaned myself up. Though we were not on the best of terms, we tolerated each other's presence and I explained to Thor my predicament. **

"**They've taken her to Jotunheim; I know it, no doubt as revenge on my killing of Laufey." I sighed, my head resting in my hands. I ran my fingers roughly through my hair in despair. "I have to save her but I can't! I'm banished to Earth and am not allowed to leave, so a rescue trip to Jotunheim is out of the question!" I was becoming worked up, angry tears in my eyes.**

**Thor just sat and watched me. Eventually, he spoke up.**

"**Loki, you have caused pain and destruction wherever you go. You are my brother and I care for you, but tell me, what is the life of one human worth?"**

**I slammed a fist down on the table. "She's not human!" I hissed, "She's Asgardian, do you not remember her? Renn? Auburn hair and eyes that burned like stars! Of course you forget, you never spoke to her! She made every attempt to converse with you, but you ignored her because she had no title! I was her only friend!" I could feel my anger dissipating, replaced with utter despair and heartbreak. Thor's eyes softened.**

"**You love her, don't you?" he whispered, only just loud enough for me to hear. I gave a short nod, closing my eyes and clenching my fists. I heard Thor get up, and my eyes flickered open to look at him.**

"**You may be bound by banishment to this world brother, but I am not, and I promise you, I will do everything in my power to save her. I swear to you." And with that, he left, leaving me alone at my table. **

'**Please be okay' I thought 'Please, please, please…'**

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**_Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know it's been ages since I last updated, but I know where I'm taking the story now, so it shouldn't be long between updates now. Remember, read and review! :P_**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_**Hi, it's been ages since the last update, apologies; I've been working on some other stuff for different sites. Anyway, here's chapter 4…**_

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_**Thor:**_

"**I must go to Jotunheim and save this girl!" I told my friends. They did not seem to understand the situation before me.**

"**Thor, seriously?" The Man of Iron laughed from the corner of the room. "This is just Loki trying to get you to do something that will no doubt end with us lot having to save your ass." I frowned at his phrasing.**

"**You did not see my brother. He was immensely distraught. I have never seen him like this before. I am going to find her whether you people choose to come or not." I declared.**

"**You're on your own mate." Barton muttered. The others seemed to agree, turning from me and going back to whatever they were doing before I interrupted them.**

"**So be it." I concluded our discussion, leaving the room and then the building. All I had to do now was find a way of getting to Jotunheim.**

_Renn:_

I slipped in and out of consciousness throughout that night. Or was it day? The two were indistinguishable here. The shackles that kept me in place dug into my skin, leaving sore, red marks, and the food that was brought for me was disgusting. I could feel myself slowly starving and wasting away. Hrungnir would come in every so often, only to drag his sword/hand across my body again, my screams echoing in the cavernous space. Today though, as I remained conscious, someone else came into the cell instead. I grimaced in disgust, another frost giant.

"What are you here to do to me?" I snarled, trying to muster some strength. The giant ignored me, and reached over to my restraints, relieving me of them. I sat, frowning and uncertain as I gently rubbed the injured flesh of my wrists, ankles and neck.

"Hrungnir wants you to wear this." The frost giant hissed, tossing a fancy looking gown in my direction. I guessed that the giant was female. "And hurry up." She added, leaving my cell and bolting the door behind her.

I stood, picking up the dress. It was a pale green, mint colour with silver accenting around the deep neckline and hem. The sleeves were wide, and long enough that they would cover my hands once my arms were in them. Though I didn't really want to wear anything Hrungnir gave me, my own jeans and top were bloodied and dirty, and the change was welcome. I quickly slipped out of my Midgardian clothing and into the dress. It was a perfect fit; it clung to me and flowed out in the right places. It was also much warmer; I could no longer feel myself shivering from the cold. Going back to my old clothes, I ripped off a piece of cloth from my t-shirt, using it to tie my hair away from my face as it felt greasy and dirty. My Asgardian blood had helped to pretty much heal me of my wounds and I looked reasonably presentable.

Just then the door opened again and the frost giantess came in. Instead of backing up against the wall in fear like I wanted to, I stood my ground, staring into the blood-red, emotionless eyes of my intruder.

"Come." She growled, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the cell. I protested, trying to wrench my arm free, but her grasp only tightened, and an icy blade was pressed to my throat. "Don't." she hissed. I stilled, allowing myself to be pulled further. I didn't recognise anything; it was all ice and dark. But then again, last time I'd been through here I'd been unconscious, so I had an excuse.

But there was no time to 'enjoy the scenery' because I was thrown through a set of double doors, falling to the floor as the door closed behind me. 'Great, taken from one cell to another.' I thought to myself. But when I looked up, I found I was anywhere but.

_**Loki:**_

**Since my meeting with Thor I had made my way back to Renn's apartment. I sat, not really seeing, wondering what was happening to Renn, and whether she was thinking about me as I was of her. After sitting woefully for some time, I got up to walk around for a bit. In Renn's bedroom, I found a small, ornate box, obviously of Asgardian origin. It was locked, but with a little fiddling with a hair pin I found on her desk, I managed to open it. **

**It was clear it hadn't been opened in some time. The contents were not what I would have expected, but then again, what had I expected? There were several folded sheets of slightly yellowed paper, and an object wrapped in a green silk cloth. Sitting down on the bed, I took out said object and put it to one side. I knew I was prying, and if Renn found out she'd probably kill me, but I couldn't help myself. I pulled out the first piece of paper, to find it dated. I took out the others and sure enough, each had a date inscribed on them, spanning over the past century. So, I started with the earliest one. On unfolding it, I found it was a letter, and in Renn's small, neat hand, was written the name 'Loki Odinson' at the top.**

**My breath caught in my throat, both at the fact the letter was addressed to me and at the fact the Renn did not know. She did not know I was a frost giant, that my name was not Odinson but Laufeyson. And now, she was in the hands of the monsters I had tried to kill, the monsters I was in fact one of. **

**My head fell into my hands in despair and the letter dropped to the bed. If this is what the giants wanted; me, weak and desperate, they had definitely accomplished their task.**

_Renn:_

"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing?" I recognised Hrungnir's voice at once, my head whipping around to face him. I was in a cavernous room, intricately carved into the ice, surrounded by at least half a dozen frost giants.

"What's going on?" I hissed, my hands clenched into fists by my sides.

There was a low rumble of laughter that echoed through the room. Two giants either side of Hrungnir got up and grabbed me, one on each arm. If only I could grab something with my hands, I could use my magic! I started to kick out, screaming hellfire and bloody damnation until two more restrained my legs. Hrungnir came up to where I was being held, pulling my face round to look at him. I contemplated spitting at him again, but thought the better of it.

"Your precious prince cannot help you now." He whispered, stroking my face with a calloused finger. I felt one of the giants hand's slip down my arm to my wrist. 'Just a bit further…' I willed, but my thoughts were harshly cut off by Hrungnir pressing his lips to mine.

I felt sick, my stomach churned. I tried my best to pull away, but his hand clasped the back of my head, holding my face to his. Then I felt it. The giant who's hand had moved down had grabbed my hand and pinned in painfully behind my back, thrusting my chest forward towards Hrungnir, who pulled away to take in the view.

"Lovely." He murmured, his hands trailing down my sides and back up, brushing over my breasts. I shuddered and screamed, protesting against my captors. 'Do it, this is your chance!' my inner self urged me. Taking a deep breath, I held tightly to the giant's hand, and felt the warm pulse of energy flow through my body, warming my palm.

The giant holding my hand leapt away, holding his hand as if burned. With my left hand now free, I grabbed the others, injuring them just the same way. The magic in the invisible burning meant that they'd be a while before being able to turn their hands into their deadly ice weapon counter-parts. I ran, heading for the door and I could hear the wails of pain behind me, coupled with Hrungnir's heavy footsteps as he followed me. I put my hand to the bolt on the door and it sprang open. Rushing out, I slammed the door behind me, spelling it so that the frost giants couldn't get out and follow me. From behind the ice, I could hear their cries of anguish and Hrungnir's vows to find me.

I turned, finding myself faced with more frost giants. My shoulders slumped, I was outnumbered, there was no chance I could use my magic to get me out of this. Not for the first time, I became immensely jealous of people who could use magic without having to touch what they wanted to manipulate.

"Renn!" the shout shocked me into turning around.

"Thor?"

Then there was an incredible flash of light, an arm around my waist and a crash of thunder, and I was gone.

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_**What did you think? Much more description from Renn's POV. And what about the letters? Will Loki read them? What will Renn do if he does? Read and review, it helps so much, thanks :D**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Bloody hell it's been a while since I updated. Sorry, but real life got in the way a bit (flipping exams!) I'll try and update more regularly now :P Thankyou so much to everyone who's reviewed! You make my day! Also to those of you who favourite or follow the story, I hope I can live up to your expectations…**_

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_****_Chapter 5

_**Loki:**_

**I had sat up through the night, reading and re-reading the letters that Renn had addressed to me and sealed in the little trinket box. I left the object swathed in silk wrapped up in the bottom of the box. I was glad to be alone; the words inscribed on the paper were both moving and infuriating. I had known this girl for years, and only now did I know the reason for her sudden disappearance a century ago.**

**Suddenly, an awful ringing noise filled the room. Looking up, I recognised the device that Renn had described to me as a 'phone' flashing and causing a horrible racket. Frowning in annoyance, I stood and walked over to it. I looked at it for a moment before picking the device up, hearing a faint beep, and then the sound of someone's voice. I put the phone to my ear, "Hello…?"**

"_**Ah, hello. This is the managing director of L'Oréal Haircare, we were wondering if you would be interested in modelling our new 'Greased Up' range of hair gel?" **_**There was the sound of laughter and someone being hit from the other end.**

"**Stark?" I asked warily.**

"_**Hey Reindeer Games, how'd you guess?"**_** The voice of the billionaire came through loud and clear straight into my ear. **

"**Why did you contact me?" I demanded, having to consciously stop myself from gripping the phone hard enough to break the thing.**

"_**Just called to tell you Renn's de- OW! Okay, okay, jeez Pep, no need to hit me! Thor found the girl. Seems like you were right about her being taken to Jotun-wherever." **_**More shuffling from Stark's end.**

"**How is she? Where is she? Did they hurt her? Is she alright…?" Question after question tumbled from my mouth, worry releasing its vice-like grip around my heart. **

"_**Sheesh, calm it Antler Man, she's fine. Bruce is looking after her in the new SHEILD base at Stark Tower. She says she doesn't want to see you."**_

**That took me by surprise. "What?"**

"_**She found out you're a frost giant, she can't believe you lied to her blah blah blah et cetera, et cetera, et cetera… Oh… hang on a sec, someone wants to talk to you."**_

_Renn:_

I took the phone from Tony and put it cautiously to my ear, "Loki?" I whispered.

His response was immediate and rushed, "Renn?! Where are you? Are you okay? What did they do to you? How come…"

"Loki stop." I cut him off. Right now the last thing I wanted was to be interrogated; I'd gone through enough of that here at Stark Tower. "I know you want answers and so do I, but right now I am in no mood to see you. Hopefully by the morning I'll have calmed down enough to go home, but until then I'm staying here." I could hear him starting to protest so I carried on, "Doctor Banner wants to run a few tests and I'm willing for him to do so, I'll speak to you soon." And with that I hung up.

I slumped down onto the plush leather sofa and was soon surrounded by my new 'friends'. And by 'friends' I mean the Avengers. Well, apart from Barton and Romanoff, they were off on some mission. Since Thor had brought me back here a couple of days ago, he'd hardly left my side, and Tony seemed intent on finding out all of Loki and Thor's childhood secrets (to use as black mail he said). The only two people I felt totally comfortable around were Doctor Banner and Stark's girlfriend Pepper, both of who were trying to make my stay here as easy as possible.

"You don't let guys boss you around that's for sure," Steve grinned from the other side of the room. I smiled weakly.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed, thanks everyone."

_**Loki:**_

**HOW DARE SHE?! How dare she speak to me so! I understand she's been through a great ordeal, but to talk to me in such a self-righteous way when I have found out so much about her! If only she knew.**

**I set the phone gently down on its cradle then returned to where I had been sat on Renn's bed. I sighed, my head resting in my hands then I noticed the wrapped object still on the bed beside me. Slowly, I picked it up, the green silk feeling somewhat familiar between my fingers. As the cloth dropped, my breath caught in my throat and my hand curled into a fist around the object. I had to spend a few moments breathing before I could bring myself to look at it again.**

**I held the ring up to the light, inspecting the intricate Nordic runes inscribed along the silver band. A single emerald stone sat proudly in the centre, two initials carved on either side. An 'L' and an 'R'. I remembered the exact day I had given this to Renn, it had been her last birthday on Asgard before she left and I had wanted to show her just how much she meant to me. At the time that had meant friendship… or so I thought.**

**The next day I was woken as the room filled with light, the time read 9.05 am. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, heading to the shower to wash and change before going to the kitchen for food. While rooting around in the cupboards for something to eat, I heard the door open and close, then the sound of soft footsteps getting closer.**

**We stood and regarded each other for a moment, both of our faces reflecting anger, betrayal and something that to me felt like some form of relief. I could see she was about to speak, so I held up the ring and letters that I had kept in my pocket.**

"**I think we both have questions that need answers, don't we Renn?"**

_Renn:_

Admittedly, the anger I had felt dissipated a little when I saw Loki for that first time, but when he held up the letters and that infernal ring, I almost lost it right there and then. Thankfully I held it together and was able to calmly walk over to the sofa and sit down.

"Okay Loki, what do you want to know?"

"Why?" he asked, "Why did you leave?"

I laughed drily, "If you've read those letters, which I know you have, then you already know the answer to that."

Loki sighed and rubbed his temples, "No Renn, I need to hear it from you, not a piece of paper.

Avoiding his searching gaze, I looked down at my hands before I answered, "Fine. I lost my mother at birth, she died giving life to me, and my father never forgave me. He hated me for being the cause of his wife's death, and for being a girl. I was of no use to him. Until I got a job at the palace as a servant.

I worked in the gardens, and that's where I met you for the first time, you were hiding with a book, trying to avoid Thor. We would occasionally meet in the garden, until it became a regular thing, and we became friends. You introduced me to Thor, but he thought of me as nothing more than the servant title I was labelled with. But you know all of this, now is the part you were unaware of.

My father was working with a group of rebels who sought to overthrow Odin and his powers, my friendship with one of the princes of Asgard was a helpful advantage; I could find things out from you, then relay it back to them. I final felt like I was worth something in my father's eyes.

Then you gave me that ring and I knew I couldn't do it anymore. I wrote an anonymous letter to the Allfather, naming all of the rebels, including my father an when he found out, he beat me then took me with him as we fled. He was shot and killed. I made it to the Bifrost and Heimdall sent me to Earth, where I've been ever since."

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_**So... what d'ya think? Finally we know why Renn left :D Next chapter will have lots of feels so I'm warning you, and there will be lots of fluff. Please leave a review, I love you so much for sticking with me while I write :P**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6, here for your reading pleasure. Warning: Angry Loki and some fluff.**_

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Chapter 6

_Renn:_

He sat and listened to my story with a blank expression, not letting me see his reactions and emotions. I knew he'd be angry, but in my own defence, Loki could have asked what had caused me to leave Asgard as soon as he'd come into my apartment and made me pass out that evening. If I'd have lied, he would have known anyway, he's the God of Mischief and _lies_. Right now though, he wasn't saying anything, but I could feel that he was mad. The air around us had a cold, harsh quality to it that hadn't been there before.

"… And that's the truth?" He asked, face still void of emotion as he looked at me from the armchair opposite me where he'd sat down.

"Of course it is! Why would I lie now, and why would I lie in those letters? I hadn't wanted to leave, but as soon as I realised I had a reason not to leave, I was gone! I was scared, I knew the punishment for treason was death, would you have been able to watch that Loki? Watch me die?" I almost shouted, angry that he couldn't just let this be. But I was frightened as well. I knew that Loki had trusted me, and I just admitted to being part of a rebel alliance that had been going to overthrow the royal family of Asgard. However, I wasn't the only one who had things to explain…

_**Loki:**_

**To coin the mortal phrase, I was 'pissed off'. How many chances had she had to tell me this, how long had I trusted her? Suddenly everything felt wrong, everything was out of perspective. **

**She huffed angrily from the opposite chair, "Well I've told you what you wanted to know. I think you have some explaining to do yourself."**

**To say I glared at Renn would be an understatement, "You want to know the truth? So be it…"**

"**I was raised as a prince of Asgard, safe in the belief that Odin and Frigga were my biological parents, Thor my brother. I came to learn that my heritage is quite the opposite, I am nothing but stolen, a frost giant left to die, more specifically, Laufey's child left to die. **

**I confronted Odin and he collapsed, falling into the Odinsleep as the stress got to him. So I spoke with my mother. During this whole time Thor was banished on Earth, frolicking with mortals and trying to prove his worth to his father once again. **

**So I tried to wipe them out. I tried to kill the frost giants and prove that I was worthy of my Asgardian title. I failed, and fell into the abyss in space, where I was found by the Chitauri who tortured and manipulated me to do their bidding and believe that I should rule Midgard and the humans upon it. You remember the 'Battle of Manhattan' where your beloved Avengers saved the world? **

**After I was taken back to Asgard by Thor and put on trial before the Allfather. He decided that my punishment would be to be stripped of my magic and banished to Earth as Thor was before me."**

**I watched her intently as I explained, watching for any sign that she would get up and leave, especially when I admitted that I was a frost giant, a monster. But Renn stayed sat where she was, watching me just as intently and waiting for me to finish. When I had, there was a beat of silence before she spoke up.**

"**Loki… It's not in my ability to forgive you for what you've done in the past, but I can accept who you are-"**

**I cut her off by standing up sharply, the action causing the chair I had been sat in to scrape backwards noisily, "Really Renn, can you?!" I shouted, "Can you accept that I'm a monster, a killer?" I took a step closer to her and she got up, backing towards the wall, he eyes wide and frightened. "I could end your life right now, and not think twice about it."**

"**You wouldn't," she said timidly, stumbling as her back hit the wall and she could go no further, "I know you Loki."**

**I walked closer, now mere inches separating the two of us, "You know nothing of me. The innocent, naïve boy you once knew was destroyed when the one thing he could trust left his life without a word or goodbye. I don't want your **_**pity**_**," I spat the word, hating how it sounded, "I don't want your **_**sympathy."**_

_Renn: _

I was really scared by now; he was menacingly close, eyes on fire and teeth bared. He truly did seem like a monster. I couldn't think of anything I could do, this wasn't what I'd been banking on happening when I'd left Romanoff at the airport and made my own way to my apartment. I could feel his breath against my face; feel the heat of his body. Wait, heat? Obviously the frost giant traits didn't show through when he was in Æsir form.

Putting a hand hesitantly on his shoulder I felt him tense and his eyes locked with mine, a spark of something other than anger flashing across his features. "I'm sorry," I whispered, close to tears and not knowing what else to say, "But I don't think you're a monster."

"STOP IT!" he roared, grabbing me roughly by my arms and pushing me back hard against the wall, "Just stop pretending that you care because you feel sorry for me!" His fingers dug painfully into my arms and I had to bite my lip to stop a sob from bubbling past my lips.

He seemed to notice what he was doing because his grip loosened and his previously furious expression melted away, leaving the vulnerable, innocent person I once knew, "You were my best friend Renn, the only person I felt a connection with, even before I knew about my true heritage. I… I loved you and I still do, even after what you've told me, I couldn't care less, but I can't risk hurting or losing you…"

Loki dropped his head to my shoulder, his breathing shaky and his eyes screwed shut. My own breathing had practically stopped, his admission freezing me in place, shock and confusion being the two dominant feelings running through my head at the time. I didn't realise I was crying until Loki lifted his head, his eyes sad when he saw my wet face, and he let go of me, stepping away.

I slumped against the wall, still processing his words and vaguely aware of Loki getting his coat and heading for the door. The sound of the lock clicking open broke me out of my reverie and I rushed over to him, grabbing his arm and turning him to face me, making sure to look him in the eyes for a brief moment before I crashed my lips to his.

_**Loki:**_

**I had not been expecting a kiss, especially one with such underlying emotion and meaning. Initially, I froze, my lips unmoving against hers as I reeled in the possibilities that this was opening to me. After a moment, I reciprocated, wrapping an arm around her slim waist while my other hand gently cupped her cheek, my thumb stroking across her cheekbone, still damp with her tears. **

**Breaking apart to breathe I rested my forehead against hers, listening to her uneven breathing and holding her tightly to me, scared that I was dreaming and that if I let go or let anything change, I'd wake up and be left with nothing but a faint memory.**

"**I love you," I murmured.**

**Renn opened her eyes, slate grey sparkling in the light of her apartment, "I love you too Loki," she said softly, and my heart clenched in a good way for the first time in over a century.**

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_**Thanks for reading, I don't know whether I'll do another chapter, this seems like it would make sense to leave it here, but what do you think? If you want me to carry on I will :) I love you all, please leave a review and make my day**_


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